Blue Numbers
by J.A.Kishu
Summary: Mycroft Holmes likes numbers and he sees them everywhere. Every person has his own set of numbers and he likes them but it needs the birth of his brother to understand what they mean: Death Part 2 of Death is their gift
1. Meaning of the numbers

**Blue numbers**

 _(Part 2 of Death is their gift)_

 **Chapter 1: Meaning of the numbers**

Mycroft Holmes is an odd child, very intelligent but a bit strange, at least his father thinks so. His father had married a gifted, he loves her and accepts every part that comes with a gift, that includes having a child that could be gifted too.

His mother often takes him for walks to places no one else goes She tells her child at the young age of four about her gift: seeing the circumstance of someone's death. She never knows when it is going to happen, but _how_ is clear in her mind when she touches a person. After a family tragedy, his mother takes him for another walk. "Mycroft, do you know what happened with your cousin?" The child shakes his head. "His gift was dangerous and people from a facility took him."

"Why?" The child can't imagine his cousin doing something that would cause danger.

"His gift is his voice and the power behind his words. When he tells someone to die, the person will die. He did it by accident you understand. Your cousin didn't mean to hurt someone he didn't know, but now they have taken his voice away." His mother looks sad. Mycroft takes her gloved hand and tightens his grip.

"Mycroft if you have a gift, don't ever tell a soul about it. They will hurt you or use you, it won't be a gift anymore, promise me." The boy feels the fear in his mother's voice and promises her to never tell anyone. Even when he doesn't know if he has one.

* * *

Blue, this is Mycroft's favorite color, most likely because he sees it everywhere. He always likes the blue numbers that are floating around people's heads, one reason for his fascination with them. People. He likes to watch them and their number counting backwards. He learned his numbers easy and fast and notices only months later that they go backwards. Not like a watch or during math tables. His father explains to him that when numbers go backwards it's called a countdown. Mycroft asks why people have a countdown over their head. His father doesn't understand the question. His parents can't give him answers, so Mycroft tries to find them himself.

His mother can't help him either but she tries to understand. "Tell me about the numbers." She is pregnant with his little brother or sister and is resting in the living room.

"They are blue, the most beautiful color in the world and they are all different. Some are very long others are really short and father says because they are getting smaller it's a countdown."

His mother lays a hand on her belly. It has grown in the last month. "Have you ever met someone with a zero?" Mycroft has to think about it and shakes his head. He hasn't. "At what rate do the numbers count down?" That is an easy question to answer.

"They go one per second, yours is one of the smallest I have seen in a long time." His mother lifts her hand from her belly. She has a feeling about Mycroft´s numbers, more like she understands the gift her son has and the ability behind it. But she can't help it, she won't tell her son that it is probably the life time left for everyone.

* * *

The day his sibling is born should have been a happy one. Mycroft is excited and he really wants to go to the hospital with his parents but he has to stay at home as Father drives Mummy to the nearest hospital.

It takes hours and Mycroft has read every book on his book list for this week, including the really boring one, the ones that count as basic knowledge in children literature. He isn't sure what children find interesting in fairy tales they are all the same, princess in distress or a witch that does something evil or some magical creature. Nothing real, nothing educational.

Mycroft looks out of the window as a car drives up the road. He watches how the black vehicle stops and his father gets out. The second Mycroft wants to run down he notices something odd. His father is alone, no Mummy, no baby sibling. His father looks sad and angry at the same time. Slowly seven-year old Mycroft climbs down the stairs and is greeted by his father.

"Father, where is Mummy?" Mycroft questions and is suddenly pulled into a crushing hug. His father is shaking and the child tries to comfort him without knowing the reason.

As his father collects himself he kneels down in front of him. With teary eyes he tries to find the right words. "Son, your mother isn't coming home anymore. Your little brother either."

"A brother? Did Mummy call him Sherlock like she wanted to and why are they not coming home?" Mycroft tries to push away the thoughts of the meaning behind his father's words.

"Your brother killed your mother as she touched him, he is one of the gifted that is dangerous, they took him and we won't see him again." His father's words are harsh and suddenly Mycroft understands something he has always known deep down in his soul: the meaning of the numbers. His mother's countdown was nearly zero as they left and the feeling he had that he wouldn't see her again was ignored by him in favor of his anticipation for his sibling.

Mycroft is also gifted but no one is supposed to know or they will take him away like his cousin and his baby brother.

… His baby brother who hasn't done anything except being born. In this moment Mycroft decides that he will never talk about the numbers again and that he will find a way to get his baby brother back.


	2. The brother behind the glass wall and a

**Chapter 2: The brother behind the glass wall and a family of death gifted people**

The library is his best friend; Mycroft learned that a long time ago. The few people who visit want to stay to themselves. In his young life he has lost a great number of people, up first, his mother and baby brother, both of them because of their gifts. One of his many research topics is his family history. The town archive and their own collection of documents are helpful. In the Holmes latest history they had his baby brother; he can kill every living creature by touching it with his skin. Their mother, who could see the circumstances of someone's death by touching, their cousin who once had the gift of telling someone to die with his voice and his own gift, the blue numbers that represent the lifetime a person has left.

All these gifts have one thing in common, they are related to death. The family history shows the same abilities in his mother's side. The Holmes themselves have no such ability. Apparently his great grandfather was able to change the date a person was supposed to die.

Mycroft sighs and closes another book about the regulation and treatment of people with gifts classified as dangerous. The worst are the ones that are born with it, like his brother. They are taken away and most times are never seen again. The majority die in the first years of their life or the scientists find a way to take their gifts away like with his poor cousin that was mute from the day he left the facility.

The facility is the worst place someone could end up. They take everything that makes you you away. When they find a way to destroy the gift you have, they do it. Mycroft remembers his first visit to the facility his brother lives in. He went alone at only twelve years old, his father banishing Sherlock from his mind. He has only one son. Sherlock is five and waits behind a glass wall for Mycroft. He is wearing a hoody and gloves. Empty eyes stare at Mycroft; there is no emotion in seeing him, no happiness about him trying to find a way out for him. Nothing. His little brother doesn't want to come closer to the glass wall because he understands what he is capable of doing. He is afraid of himself, of his gift. Sherlock isn't interested in leaving or in Mycroft. He just wants to be left alone.

At the moment Mycroft sees his brother in this ... cage, he decides he won´t rest until he has his brother out of this hell.


	3. Offering the possibility of freedom

**Chapter 3: Offering the possibility of freedom**

With the years, Mycroft has become very good at hiding his gift. No one suspects a thing as the government offers him a position due to his achievement in university. He has chosen his subject so that he will be in a position to get his brother out as soon as possible. He is only 16 as he starts working in the small office in the center of London, but Mycroft has a long way to go.

Their father hasn't shown any interest in Sherlock since the day he was born. Mycroft fights for the right of guardianship for Sherlock as he turns 18 and wins without problems. The only thing left is getting Sherlock out of the facility. He needs a flat for both of them, a flat where he can try to give Sherlock back what he has lost, a childhood, and most important, a family.

As the day arrives to pick up his baby brother, Mycroft is nervous for the first time in years. What if Sherlock doesn't want to go with him? Since the day of his birth he has tried to get him out of that place; what happens if he wants to stay? It doesn't matter that Mycroft is Sherlock's legal guardian; he won't act against Sherlock's free will.

To Mycroft's surprise there is no resistance from his brother against leaving. No, this was the wrong term. His brother wants to stay in the safe environment where he can't hurt living things, but he accepts his fate and goes along with Mycroft.

The drive home is quiet. Sherlock keeps the most possible distance between them but watches fearful and amazed at the world outside his window. With a sting into his heart Mycroft remembers that Sherlock has never seen this world. He isn't sure he would call Sherlock's ability a gift, but no one knows what will happen next, onlynly that his brother won't have an easy life.


	4. Epilogue

**_Epilogue_**

The man in front of him is a soldier; he holds himself proud and ready; he withstands Mycroft without blinking with an eye. It takes him a long second to understand what he is seeing. Mycroft is used to the blue numbers floating above the head of people. But this number he was used to, he saw it every day above Sherlock's head. The beautiful number that tells him his brother has enough time left to grow old and now he knows that he won't be alone.

John Watson will stand by his side until the day they both will die at the same moment and if he had his mother's gift he would be able to tell that they will die together. His brother won't be alone.


End file.
